


As the World Falls Down

by BabylonSabby



Category: Hiveswap, Homestuck
Genre: Afterlife, Alternate Universe, Anna Harley??, David Bowie - Freeform, Death, F/M, Ghosts, Homestuck - Freeform, M/M, Magic, Meta, Mystery Girl: Anna H., NSFW links, Soul Mate AU, Swearing, but all the fanfic universes as well., callmearcturus, dirk strider - Freeform, dirkjake - Freeform, hiveswap - Freeform, inspired by several fanfics, jake english - Freeform, jakedirk - Freeform, labrynth, lewd flirting, only in this universe he's entirely alone and has been his whole life, sburbanite, so he gets a little bitter when he sees other versions of himself get happy endings., soul mates, this takes place in a random universe where dirk's able to see not only the canon universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-05-10
Packaged: 2019-05-03 03:56:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14560344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BabylonSabby/pseuds/BabylonSabby
Summary: Dirk's dead and alone and not happy about it. But good things come to those who wait. And he's been waiting a literal lifetime for the surprise he gets in the end.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [everybody on your knees and testify](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14288952) by [Commakaze](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Commakaze/pseuds/Commakaze), [Joyfulldreams](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joyfulldreams/pseuds/Joyfulldreams), [Madame la Problématique (callmearcturus)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/callmearcturus/pseuds/Madame%20la%20Probl%C3%A9matique), [mimsical](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mimsical/pseuds/mimsical), [stormbourne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stormbourne/pseuds/stormbourne). 



Any other night this would have been the same club he fucked you in when he was a god and doing a shit job at not being manipulative and dominant. Not that you cared much. You were into that kind of thing. Doms, anyway. Being manipulated? Not so much. You had to turn that dream off for a second and get away. Getting away entailed you going to that exact same club, vacant though it was, now. There was no music, no dancers. Darkness shrouding the dance floor. You nestled yourself in that booth, left to your suffocating thoughts, and stared at the table in front of you. Your body felt heavy. That dream was a rough one, exciting, but stressful, and your heart pounded for a while from it. But now that it was calmed down, you felt emptier than you did before you witnessed the dream.

These were not dream bubbles you were wandering into. They were windows. Every now and then, the Multiverse would have its own Dream, a multitude of dreams coalesced into one, and you got to see them all take place at once. You got to see the various timelines of these universes merge and watch the characters within them live their lives as if nothing happened. They didn’t know you were watching them. They didn’t know they were  _you_.

That last one was a  _doozy_. It was fun, for what it was, and you expected it to dish out more fun, later. But tonight, you couldn’t handle it. Your brain was fucked up. You weren’t in the right place. And like a lot of the other dreams you’d seen, this one made you ache with loneliness. You were run down, tired, and exhausted. For too long you’d seen these versions of yourself fall in love and for too long had you remained in your own Bubble, your own, tiny, universe, alone…and dead. Life, for you, didn’t end with your final breath. It kept ticking and it dragged on, and on, and on. This Afterlife was empty. There were no friends, no strangers. Just you. It was literally your own, personal Hell, because in this Hereafter, there was only you and you were left to nothing but these dreams and your thoughts. You were already dead. There wasn’t another death after this; no way to end your suffering. You had no choice but to keep trudging on, putting one foot in front of the other, until something remotely interesting happened.

These dreams were the only interesting thing that  _did_ happen, anymore. But these days, they made you weep. How  _dare_ he. How dare he be happy and not you? Even in the Main Universe, he was happy! And here you were, wallowing in your own, disgusting failure.

There was no one around to hear you, but you broke down, anyway. With your back propped against the wall of the booth and your ass sliding slowly towards the edge of the seat, you started to cry, your fingers clenching into fists at your side. You didn’t see him when he approached you, but you heard his voice and immediately froze.

“This is no place for crying, chum, this is a place for dancing.”

The voice immediately drew your attention toward its owner. It was Jake, because of course it was, and he was beautiful. Like you, there were no signs that he was dead. No whited-out eyes, no wounds signifying an untimely death. Just his pure, sweet, dapperly dressed self. You were pretty sure he wouldn’t be here if he was alive, but then again, this was Jake. Jake could do just about anything if he set his mind to it. What perplexed you even more was how he was dressed. It wasn’t anything you’d seen him wear to date in any of the dreams, but you couldn’t complain. He looked gorgeous in it. You weren’t sure what to call the ensemble, but it seemed to come straight off an 18th-century aristocrat. His breeches were tucked into long, black boots, and a white, lace-trimmed cravat peeked out the neck of an extravagant, royal blue, velvet coat. The lot of it really complimented his chocolate colored skin, making its warm tones pop even more.

You were going to worry about  _why_ he was dressed this way later, because now there were more important matters at hand. “Why are you here?” you asked.

“Do you not want me here?” he responded, worry and disappointment immediately welling in his eyes.

You turned in your seat, facing him. “No! No. That’s not what I meant. I just meant…How are you here? Why? After I’ve been alone all this time?”

Jake smiled, his green eyes softening. His arms were folded behind his back as he rocked on his feet, to-and-fro. “I guess it was my time. The Universe decided to let me come here.”

You puzzled, making a stern face. “Here? But I’ve always been alone, here. Even in my old life I was alone.”

Jake took a step forward, his hands sneaking out from behind him. “You needn’t be alone anymore, sugar bean.”

“I don’t understand.” You shook your head, looking away. “This was  _my_ Hell. And I was always able to see you in the dreams, but how were you able to see me? How do you even know I exist?”

“You’ve  _been_ in my dreams, Dirk. I’ve always known you.”

This begged the question, “What was your life like?” You returned your gaze, staring into his candy green pools as if trying to see the secrets behind them.

“Oh, it was an ordinary one, I must say,” he said, looking a bit shy. “I don’t think I ever questioned life or sought any deeper meanings in it.”

You rolled your eyes, but smiled wistfully all the same. “Of course you didn’t.”

“Except when I dreamed of you,” Jake continued, taking another step forward. His closeness made your breath hitch in your throat and your heart…come alive. “I was married with a wife and kids; thought my silly dreams of this strapping young man would finally come to a close, now that I’d found my life mate. But they didn’t. Time went on and the only time I saw you was when I was deep in sleep. Sometimes I remembered you vividly. Sometimes I didn’t. When I was old, I went to sleep for the last time.”

Your eyes were welling with tears again as you thought about Jake living such a long life and dreaming of you all the while. This was his final dream. You felt no shame in showing your emotions to him when other versions of you might have. Those versions hadn’t lived as you had. They only  _thought_ their hearts were splintered. They knew nothing of this, whatever it was that made you so incredibly fragile. There was no point in being strong; no point in hiding such emotions. It was your soul. It was going to leak out whether you wanted it to or not.

“I know everything about you, now,” Jake said, close enough, now, that he could reach out and palm the side of your face. His hand was so warm. “The Dream told me. It was mine all along.”

“Yours?” You asked. As in…the Multiverse’s Dream? That which made all dreams come together into one? 

“Yeah,” Jake breathed, smiling.

Crystal tears immediately trickled down the sides of your face. “Of course it was.” You tried to smile with him despite the cracking of your voice and the lingering sorrow in your eyes. Despite these, you were so happy to have him near; so happy not to be alone anymore.

He seemed to know this and took both sides of your face into his hands, now, before leaning down to kiss your lips. You crocked out a sob, but fought against any more in the desperate attempt to kiss him back. You succeeded, if only for a moment, before crumbling once more into whimpers. You buried your face against his chest, dampening that gorgeous coat and cravat of his with your tears.

“Oh, darling, you must be so distraught,” he said as he wrapped his arms around you. “You poor, wounded thing. Whoever hurt you like this will get a taste of my fist when I find them.  _If_ I find them.”

You shook your head. “It was everyone in my old life. It was everything. Not even my friends could save me.”

You didn’t need to tell him you committed suicide in order to get here. He already knew.

He held you tighter, stroking between your shoulder blades and up the back of your neck where you were really sensitive. He knew you liked it. He knew how to do it  _right_. “Hush, hush, little one, it’s alright. We’re not in that world anymore. It’s just you and me, now. We can make this our own Paradise.”

He was smiling widely when you looked back up at him. You believed every single word he said and it filled you with such peace that you shivered and sighed all of the remaining tension out of your body. You didn’t know what happiness was until you saw Jake English, the man of your dreams, smiling down at you.

“Dance with me?” he piqued, gesturing toward the still empty dance floor.

Smiling at long last and blinking away any stray tears, you nodded. With his hand in yours, the two of you trailed away from the booth and to the place where you belonged, on the shiny, black dance floor with the shimmering ghosts of loved ones from the Past and Beyond dancing alongside you. There was music playing, now, and it was soft and soothing, having a bittersweet, but romantic quality to it that made your heart shiver as you enveloped yourself in Jake’s presence. Your heart was whole when it had never been. Not a crack or splinter in sight.

“So, what’s with the Lestat de Lioncourt getup?” you finally asked in your dreamy state.

“Have you not seen Labrynth? With David Bowie?”

“Oh, of course! I forgot that movie even existed.”

“How  _dare_ you, Dirk Strider.”

You laughed at his expense. “That’s really naughty of me, isn’t it? Maybe you’ll have to punish me for it, later.” You smirked.

“You can lay whatever kinky thoughts in your head to rest, young man. The only punishment you’re getting is to watch that damn movie with me later, after we’re done cutting a rug.”

“Dang it. Can I get a Death 2?”

“Don’t you dare even  _think_ that!”

You threw your head back and laughed. “I’m just kidding! I suppose I can suffer Labrynth with you if it means at least getting laid in the morning.”

“You’ve got yourself a deal, old chap.” Jake’s expression was determined, if not diabolical. He’d stopped waltzing with you long enough to extend his hand to complete the bargain. You took it and he gave a rigorous shake. “Now, where’s your dancing feet, Strider, the night’s not over, yet!”

“They’re right here,” you responded blissfully as he tugged you into another spin. Hell this no longer was. It was  _Heaven_.

 

 


	2. Left Behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anna is alone. Anna is lost. The repercussions of Jake reuniting with Dirk in the hereafter.

"Jacob?" you called out into the darkness. "Jacob?" you called again.

There was nothing but stillness. You were blind, or thought you were, at first. But you soon realized you could see perfectly fine. It was the environment that was messed up. There was darkness and stillness because there was nothing but Void surrounding you. Oh, but it was only temporary, wasn't it? You were just a lost item. You'd be found some day, certainly! You looked upward. There was no opening of light signalling an exit to this darkness, but you knew damn well where you were. And you knew there was a hand that could reach in and grab you if someone cared enough to get you out of here. That someone was a one Roxy Lalonde and you knew her in ways she never thought you did. All she had to do was draw you out and you wouldn't be alone here anymore.

But until then, here you were, hoping that Jake would find you, soon. You were supposed to die together, but that didn't work out. You passed away first. Time traveled differently here, because there seemed to be none of it. You could have been down here for years and not known it, with your husband getting older and sicker as the days passed. You hated wishing death on people, but boy, did you wish Death would hurry up and take that damned Jacob English, so that you could finally have your husband down here and make it the Afterlife you both planned on. After him, the only family you'd have wished for would've been your children, the dear hearts that they were. They were getting older, too. Surely, they'd want to be with their parents when they died. 

But time ticked on and no light ever came to this world of shadow. No Jacob English, either.

In the stillness, you began to accept the fact that he wasn't coming. 

But then, where was he? Was he lost? Was he in Hell? Was he a trapped spirit on Earth? Did he somehow find immortality at the last minute? And the worst thought of all: was he in another place entirely, spending his Afterlife with someone else?

You didn't want to believe it, but...maybe it was true. He loved you, you had no doubts. He was your best friend and you tried to be his in return. They said having children sometimes ruined marriages, but it didn't ruin yours, and you had two kids together. They were so bright and so smart. You got to live long enough to see them reach adulthood. You had your worries about Jude, at first, after his diagnosis with Autism Spectrum Disorder, but he pulled through and was very successful as an academic. He never shined as bright as he did when he was writing. And when he was done writing, he would take those ideas he'd put to paper and share them with his students at University. And Joey, bless her heart. Poor thing couldn't cut it as a veterinarian, as much as she loved helping animals. So, she put her love of them towards rescuing them and helping them recoup from abuse and neglect. That was her calling all along. It just took her forever to see it. And of course, she wouldn't listen to you; you being her _mom_ and all. Your advice typically went out the window while Joey figured everything out on her own. In the end, you were proud of her for it. She struggled through a lot, but always managed to come out on top somehow. You didn't need to worry about her anymore.

But you _did_ need to worry about Jake and why he wasn't here. More and more it was feeling like you weren't going to be the one he was spending his Afterlife with and you couldn't wrap your head around that fact, except for one tiny detail: the boy he had dreams of.

You knew there was something to this boy. Jake dreamed of him often, and being that he felt no qualms about regaling you with these dreams, he told you of their nature even when it made you feel uncomfortable. Neither one of you could really parse what the dreams meant, but their nature, in time, seemed less dream-like and more memory-based. Dreams were typically random bits of information the brain came up with, based on thoughts and experiences throughout daily life, whilst a person was asleep. But these weren't like that. Nothing was random about a very distinctly blonde boy with freckles across his face and fiery hues. Without some sort of event dramatic enough to cause such repeated mental imagery, there was no way he was just 'made up'. He had to have been real. But in all your lives, you and Jake never figured out who he was, exactly. 

There were days it bothered you and days it didn't. On the days it didn't, you knew damn well that Jacob loved you and that he loved you with all his heart. You could see it in his eyes. He never wished you were anyone else. He loved you for _you_. On those days, this boy was just a boy and nothing else. You'd never solve his mystery and you didn't care. It was just one of those weird facts about life you were willing to accept.

But on the days it _did_ matter, you thought it to death. Everything you felt insecure about in your body and your face bubbled to the surface. You wished you were male because...maybe he would grab Jake's attention and _keep_ it. But these were just insecurities. Your therapist helped to decipher that. They didn't matter. They were liars, those little thoughts in your head, and they could be subdued with some therapy and a little dash of self-appreciation. You could see in yourself that you were lovable, and beautiful, and that Jake loved you no matter what. And he loved those kids, even though you did most of the work raising them. Jake was loyal. Jake was good.

But he wasn't here. And you wondered if that boy in his dreams actually _meant_ something; if it wasn't _him_ waiting for Jake on the other side, and if it wasn't _him_  your husband was actually meant to be with all this time. All you insecurities, which you'd discussed with your therapist and buried each in their own, individual graves, rose up from the earth like the undead creatures they were and chilled your core from the inside out. You could hear your therapist now:

"Don't take it personally. It's nothing against you. You're a beautiful woman, even as you age. Jake loves you. You _know_ he does."

But did that still hold true if you weren't destined to spend eternity together? How could you _not_ take it personally? What did this specter of a therapist _want_ from you? To let it roll off your shoulders like it was nothing? _Oh, that's just fine. He's just out there being happy with another person while I'm literally trapped in some sort of Purgatory,_ you think to yourself. Nothing personal, your ass. You had a plan. This was how it was supposed to be! If it meant not spending your Afterlife, at the very least, with Jake, what would it have meant for your children? Were you never going to see them again? What if they had their own plans that didn't involve you? What if they had their own Dreams to drift in? They were grown, after all. It would've made sense.

Oh, this was agonizing. This Void was all you had. In a last ditch effort to humanize something, so that you wouldn't feel so alone, you humanized the Void. You gave it what form you could and you even gave it a personality, dreary though it was. You pretended it cared for you. Because other than you, it was the only other thing that existed. _Oh, Roxy_ , you prayed. _Please let me out._  

   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bet'cha didn't think there'd be any drawbacks to Dirk and Jake getting their happy endings, did ya?

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys liked it. I think it would work really well as a grand, multi-chapter fic. But I'll leave Arc to the massive, sweeping novels. I've only got the stamina for one-shots.


End file.
